Ten Reasons Why Jason Todd is Catwoman's Favorite Robin
by facelessgunslinger
Summary: She was there at the beginning, and she was there at the end...Then, at the beginning of the end. She was one of the only ones to see past the failures and into the gold.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any of these Characters, DC Comics, or Batman.

-Project: SONRISE Activated-

 _ **Ten reasons why Jason Todd is Catwoman's favorite Robin.**_

 **Reason Number One: Showmenship.**

Selina can tell instantly when the title of Robin gets passed down for the first time. Bypassing the fact that the first one had to be at least a legal adult by now, the new kid cant be a day over fourteen. But his first night he made a hell of an first impression.

It was a Siren job; with Ivy providing an exterior distraction for the Cops and Harley backing her up inside the museum. You know what they say about keeping your friends close.

Bag full of million-dollar gems and whip in hand, she left Harls' to take the fall when the Bat showed up. She had just climbed through the skylight only to meet the newbie.

Her first thought was where did he keep getting these black-haired, blue-eyed kids? Jesus, the new kid was a carbon copy of the last one.

He still wore the same costume as his predesessor, with his pixie boots and green underwear but this one was a bit heavier built than the last. His hair was a bit more unruly and definitely not as expertly gelled and groomed like the first Boy Wonder.

'Something else is defferent.' She observed no playful smirk or relaxed posture, and the first one would've shot a witty remark about nocturnal cats by now that would make her gag.

She cocked her hip and smiled. "First day on the job, Kiddo?"

"Yup" Ah, the silent type, huh?

"Well, Do me a favor and let this Kitty go play with her new toys?" She jiggled the bag for emphasis.

He glanced at the bag, then at the open skylight where the sounds of Harley getting her clown ass handed to her could be hear clearly.

A mischevious smirk started to grow. "You know who owns this Museum?"

Selina decided to take the bait since the Kid was new and he wasn't throwing sharp things at her. "Anton Marone; Salvadore's nephew."

"And I guess you also know all about the artifact laundering ring he's got set up in the basement?"

"I might've heard something." Selina was starting to lose her window of escape and she knew it. Could that be the Kid's plan? To stall time with words until Daddy Bats came running?

Catwoman's eyes were drawn to the Kid's utility belt when he slowly removed a handful of explosive pellets.

"Well, I won't lose any sleep if you managed to get away and cost the Marones a few million dollars aaaaaaaaaand" He extended the explosive to her. "If you used one of my own handy-dandy gadgets to escape, that could certainly be blamed on my youth and inexperience in dealing with criminals, couldn't it?"

No. Fucking. Way. Points to the new kid!

She picked up the pellets and tested the weight in her hand, she always wanted to use these. Batman always looked so badass when he tossed them around. She eyed the boy.

Selina bent down slightly to his level and smiled. "I like you, Kid. So here's a little friendly advice; lose the underwear."

He blushed and pouted a bit. "Hey, this is what Robin wears!"

Seline poked him in the chest with one gloved finger. "You're Robin now, Kiddo, you can wear what you want."

She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his forehead, causing him to flinch back in shock and turn red(er).

She threw the pellets and took off at a sprint.

She liked this kid.

 **Reason Number Two: Receptive.**

The next time she sees him leaping across the skyline of Gotham, he's wearing green pants and boots that don't look like a Robin Hood play gone wrong. Selina feels a bit flattered he listened to her advice compared to his mentor and (God forbid) Batgirl. He impresses her with his fighting prowess for a while before she gets a lucky hit in and she takes off. She spares a look over her shoulder as he neglects to hold the bruised side of his face for the cheek with a dark kiss mark on it and her giggle is the last thing he hears before she's gone.

 **Reason Number Three: Bravery/Stupidity.**

A year or two pass by before Batman lets him patrol alone. Selina was (for once) minding her own business and prowling a rooftop when she sees him evading ice beams from Mr. Freeze. The kid is no acrobat like the last one but he dives and ducks with the best of them and Selina takes a minute to admire the teenager do his 'job'.

He seems to be carrying something in his arm as he lept and dodged, managing to throw a few Batarangs before Freeze catches his leg in a caccoon of ice and he's down. The Iceman advances slowly, probably making a quip about enjoying his victory or making the Kid suffer (Because, honestly, some of these guys have some pretty ingrained speeches that they stick to religiously.) but the Kid detonates a explosive batarang on his ice canister and that's the end of that. His body chemistry won't let him freeze to death in his new temporary home in that block of ice, but it'll hold until the Police show up.

The Cat Burglar swings to the ground and struts up to him as he fiddles with the block of ice encassing his leg and the black thing he's holding. She smiles when he notices her and all he does is tenses up and reaches for another sharp projectile.

Catwoman raises her hands. "Easy Kiddo, I'm just out of a stroll tonight."

He scoffs, but retracts his empty hand.

She gets within ten feet when she makes out what he's carrying.

A small, black Kitten with no collar.

She reaches down to pet the stray feline, but looks Boy Wonder in his Baby blues with an unsaid question. He's covered in sweat, shivering, and a little green around the gills.

He's healthy enough to blush, though. "She was in front of the Icicle's freeze gun and I didn't want her to get hurt."

Her heart explodes and she grabs both of his cheeks in her hands. "You earned this, Sweetie." and plants a big, wet kiss on his lips that lasts for a few seconds. She pulls back and he's so red, she can't believe the ice doesn't melt immediately.

He stutters in the most adorable way and she relieves him of the kitten. "I'll make sure she gets to a safe place." He just nods as his brain reboots.

"Better call Daddy bats, Junior." She winks and swings onto the nearest street.

 **Reason Number Four: Attentiveness.**

It's Selina's birthday and she has nothing to show for it except a tuna fish sandwich and a tv marathon of the Golden Girls. Not that she was expecting Batman to show up on her safehouse balcony with flowers or anything but not even a card in the mail? That was low.

Of course, all her presents from various suiters were neatly stacked in the corner, but Selina didn't really count those.

It was getting dark when her doorbell rang.

She jumped up from her couch and sprang to the door. Maybe it was Bruce Wayne? Harley with ice cream? Batman with _just_ his mask on? A girl could hope, right?

The door almost fell off its' hinges when she swung it open.

To an empty hallway.

Quickly leaning out of the doorway to check the hallway, her disappointment shown in a slight pout. Her foot nudged something soft, however.

A bunch of those toy mice attached to springs that her cats loved so much. Wrapped all up like a bouquet of flowers with a card tied on the bow. She pick it up and chuckled at the ubsurdity. The card was made out of inexpensive construction paper folded over with happy birthday written on the front in black marker. She flipped it open carefully. The handwritting was sloppy, but legible, and what it said made her feel like a million bucks.

Didn't figure you were the type for flowers, but I hope you like 'em. -Robin

"Why that sweet, little-" She was going to tease him so hard about this at her next heist.

"Then again...Why wait?" She turned back to her safehouse and closed the door behind her. If she changed quickly, she just might be able to catch the Kid.

'But first.' She hands the toys to her cats and finds an empty picture frame for the card.

Her mantle never looked so good than it did with that handmade card on it.

 **Reason Number Five: Attitude.**

With how much the kid blushes around her, she starts calling him Redbird.

He doesn't seem to mind it much, but she does notice he does a bad job of covering up the fact that he is always pulling his punches around her. He doesn't do it with anybody else and not even the Bat himself holds back when it come to criminals of _any_ kind (And, hey, if it makes her feel special and nobody else picks up on it, she's fine with it).

Another little snippet is the Kid is growing up fast.

By her rough estimation, he has got to be around seventeen now, and boy, does he look it. His arms bulge with muscle when he fights. When she sees Nightwing, she laughs to herself at the fact that his replacement is just a bit buffer than he is. He has got this strut to him now, too. He excudes confidence and she can't help but be proud. He starts to style his hair in a short, roguish way that she likes.

She bats her eyes a little bit when she realizes he got rid of the green on his costume for more red.

she also can't help but mention it at the scene of her next robbery.

She has his arm wrapped in her whip and it's a standstill when she calls out. "Hated the green, Sweetie, good call on the new color."

"Well, I am your Redbird, afterall." She isn't prepared for the wink and confident smirk that follows.

Her little Redbird has finally learned to flirt.

-Project: SONRISE Deactivating-


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own any of these Characters, DC Comics, or Batman.

-Project: SONRISE Activated-

 **Reason Number Six: Chivalry**

After a few months of prison, the Cat is free to prowl the night again. Good behavior will do that to you. Of course, the bad behavior will come shortly after at the Wax Figure Museum in downtown Gotham. The air ducts provide her an entrance and crawling through them is only moderately difficult with certain -ahem- assets get in the way. A few minutes of uncomfortablility yields results when she bursts out of the vent. A quick look around for obstructions as Catwoman searches for her prey. Supposedly, the Rings of Cleopatra would help any woman find true love and protect them from harm. Obviously it didn't work for Cleo, but hey, they were worth a smooth fifty million so she couldn't complain.

What did warrant a complaint was how creepy the wax figures looked at night.

Cleopatra wasn't hard to find, being the headliner of the exhibit. Her wax Doppelganger was shielded by a thick glass case with a multitude of laser trip alarms. Catwoman shrugged off her backpack and reached in for a pen-like device. 'Good thing Freeze owed me a favor.' She clicked it open and the cryo beam froze a neat circle just large enough to fit her arm through. Being careful of the lasers, She extended her arm and grabbed the twin rings off the Dias Cleo stood upon. Having a slight affinity for cats, she couldn't help but be curious of the translated words on the base of the Dias.

"How should ever hold these rings will find their true love, but beware, because the heart is not always clear, nor is it safe." Her voice in the silence of the dark hallways made the place seem even creepier.

She shrugged off the warning and slipped one ring on each finger for safe keeping.

She felt a strange shiver down her spine the moment the second ring was on. 'How weird...'

"Hey Goodlookin'!"

Catwoman's head whipped around quickly at the familier voice of her little Redbird. He leaned casually on a giant statue of Merlin the magician with a lopsided smile. His suit had because slightly more utilitarian over the years, with a shorter cape and red tactical pants instead of tights. He also switched to a long-sleeve shirt armored with a thin layer of kevlar. A shame she couldn't admire those arms as easily any more.

She smiled seductively. "Looking good yourself, Redbird, you're about the right size to fill in the Batsuit." He blushed slightly, but the smile never left.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Kitty Cat" A batarang was spinning on his finger.

"How about back to my hideout with my loot?"

He gained a faux shocked look and put a hand to his chest. "My Dear, you are moving too fast for me! We must, at least, have dinner together before you take me home!"

She retrieved her whip and uncoiled it slowly on the floor. "But I could show you so many fun things".

"Holy shit" He looked passed her.

"What is-holy shit" She turned.

Cleopatra's eyes were glowing bright red and kept getting brighter until both museum visitors had to shield their eyes.

"Look out!"

When the glared died down, she only had enough time to blink before Robin slammed into her with all the force of a linebacker, and a cry of pain to erupt. She rolled over and found him trapped under Merlin from the waist down. Fear grew slowly within her as she ran over to check on him. After a quick inspection, she could tell nothing was broken and sighed with relief. Cleo and her case were completely crushed, however, and Selina knew that if he didn't push her, she would be as well. She tested the weight of the statue and knew she wouldn't be able to lift it. Her Redbird batted her hand away from trying. "Don't sweat it, Cat, I'll contact Batman and he'll get me out of here. Do me a favor and make yourself scarce?" Ah, letting her get away again. She much preferred it when he didn't get hurt in the process, however.

She crouched down and cupped his face in her hands. "You're a sweetheart, you know that?"

He grinned. "Only for you, Kitty Cat."

She purred and leaned down to his ear. "You're closer to that dinner than you might think."

Then her mouth was on his for the second time as Robin. But that was five years ago, and this time she used tongue. His hand gently gripped the back of her neck as they explored each others' mouths, taking their time. He didn't try to pull her toward him or dominate her, he let her have the lead and she mentally calculated more brownie points to his always-growing tally. Her fingers were threaded through his hair and tickled his scalp in a pleasurable way. When she pulled away, there was a thin strand of saliva and alot of dizziness between them.

"You're blushing." Well, he was as observant as ever.

"Don't get too big of a head, Redbird." She looked down at him with a wink and a smile.

He placed his hands over his heart. "How can I when the biggest thing you've stolen was my heart?" He gave the most exaggerated swoon.

She laughed. "Thanks again for the save, Sweetie, keep this up and I might have to start splitting the profits with you." She sauntered away.

"Anything for a lady." He waved.

"Such a gentleman." She purred as she disappeared into the darkness.

 **Reason Number Seven: Remorse**

She finds him sitting on a roof top, looking like his world has ended. His face is in his hands. He is so out of it he doesn't even notice she is ten feet away.

"Redbird?"

The way his head swings on a swivel and the tear in his eye automatically makes her more worried. When he sees her, he quickly turns to wipe his face and doesn't face her again.

"I'm not in the mood for company right now, Catwoman."

That has obviously never stopped her before and she plops down beside him. Her hand makes small circles on his back that makes him flinch at first, but slowly he gains a small comfort for it.

"Tell me what's wrong, Redbird."

He sighs and attempts to dissuade her but they both know he will eventually relent.

"Batman thinks I killed someone."

Selina can't contain her surprise. How could he ever doubt one of his precious birds? It was almost unheard of.

He tells her of the serial rapist, Felipe Garzonas, and how he chased him to the roof. Batman was still dealing with the thugs and when Felipe saw Robin, he got spooked and fell five stories to his death. He tried to catch him but he was just too far away. All Batman found was a dead rapist and the Robin who (he thought) pushed him. He screamed at him; called him unworthy of the title of Robin, and said he would never let him fight on the streets again. So Robin fled to downtown, close to Crime Alley, and here they were.

Catwoman wrapped her hands around his head and hugged him to her chest. This boy was just basically abandoned by what she assumed was like a father to him, if not his actual one. He soon calms down and wipes his eyes on his sleeve as he retracts reluctantly from her warm embrace.

"I like the black; It suits you better." She smiled at him. She had just started to do away with the dull purple for a glossy black. How kind of him to notice.

"Thanks, Redbird. Not bad huh?" She puffs out her breasts and strikes a pose for him.

He smiles back at her, but blushes. A blush is certainly better than a sob and she'll accept it gladly. He turns to look down at Crime Alley and they fall into a comfortable silence. She lays her head on his shoulder to get comfy.

He points to the adjacent buildings. "I met Batman right there."

"Hmm? I figured he was your father."

A tired chuckle. "Nah, my father was one of Two-face's old henchmen and he was long dead."

Selina felt a crack form in her heart. "So it was just you and your Mother?"

He shakes his head. "Nope, she died of an overdose. I was living on the streets by the time Bats' picked me up."

That small crack smashes her heart into pieces. She knew exactly what it was like to have nothing or no one. Also, who just kidnaps kids off the street to fight criminals? "Why did he choose you?"

Her Redbird mumbles. If she wasn't on his shoulder, he would probably be fidgeting right now.

"What was that, Birdie?"

"I stole the tires off the Batmobile."

She can't help it. She really tries to hold it in and be a sensitive person but she can't. She laughs loudly for what seems like forever, draping herself over Robin's lap and holds her sides. Selina can't remember the last time she has been this amused by anything! after a while, she calms down. She is content to lie on his lap like her namesake, looking up at him. He braces her with one arm across the waist to prevent her from falling off the building. They both know she wouldn't but it's nice that he cares. Selina soaks him up like a rough whiskey. His jaw is a bit rougher than Nightwing'sand his nose has a small crest in the top where she can tell it has been broken multiple times. Perks of living on the streets, but he was tough because of it. She had been paying attention. Punches that would've knocked out Nightwing instantly would only make her Redbird stumble, and he was one of the few besides Batman to be able to resist Ivy's pheromones and toxins. She noticed he had a bit of fuzz on his face that he probably forgot to shave. His eyes are a light blue that looked so much brighter than Nightwing's or Bats'. He was her favorite now.

She reached up and poked his nose. "Boop."

"What was that for?" He scratched his nose.

"I guess I'm just a sucker for strays." He smiled.

She turned serious. "But listen, don't shed any tears for that kind of scum. He is no better than the Joker or Croc, okay? You do alot of good in Gotham, Redbird, don't let one bad day mess up your life." She could only think of Holly and how much safer she was now that one more rapist was in the ground.

"Okay."

She reached up and kissed him on the cheek before placing herself back in his lap. They sat like that for the better part of the night, mostly in silence. Gotham seemed to be a bit peaceful for once and the night was quiet enough to let them have their time. When orange started to appear on the skyline, they had gone their separate ways and Selina would find out shortly afterward that the Bat had calmed down and her Redbird was still flying across rooftops.

 **Reason Number Eight: Sensitivity**

She has to find out about Redbird's death from Harley.

It breaks her inside when she tells Selina of Joker beating him with a crowbar for hours before finally blowing him up to kingdom-come. Ivy only barely manages to prevent Selina from clawing Harley's eyes out when she laughs about it like a fucking joke. She swears to Harley that their friendship is over and she'll kill her if she sees her with the Joker again. She contacts the Oracle (and she is a hard woman to talk to) for details. Selina can't stop the tears from escaping when she hears that he was looking for his biological mother. She also can't stop the anger from escaping when she hears that Batman just hauled him back to Arkham. Like. Every. Other. Fucking. Time.

Did her Redbird mean nothing to him? Did all his work in keeping Gotham safe amount to nothing? And why should it? He was just some kid that the Bat picked off the street.

She begs Oracle to tell her about him, anything and everything. She doesn't care what. When the former Batgirl asks her why, she says that he is her favorite.

She says his name was Jason. He played the bass guitar, and loved burgers and hotdogs. She tells Selina of how Nightwing never accepted or helped him because he never approved of Jason taking his place. She listens at how Batman always compared the Robins together and how Jason always seemed to come up short. Selina knows that Oracle was taking his death hard too. She thanks the hacker and ends the call with tears in her eyes. Her poor little Redbird.

The first thing she does is take a short drive down to Bludhaven. Nightwing isn't prepared for the viciousness Catwoman has to offer and is left on a roof of a chemical plant with the majority of his body covered in deep gashes and a warning to never treat another kid like that again.

The second thing she does is covertly follow the Dark Knight until he has left the Batmobile outside of a drug den and slashes all his tires. When he comes looking for answers, she tells him that all Jason ever wanted was the approval of the man he thought of as a dad. She screams her voice hoarse at how he took a beat-up child from the narrows and beat him down until he couldn't feel love anymore, and how she couldn't believe he would ever think that her sweet Redbird could ever kill someone in cold blood and even if he did, that sick pervert deserved it. Catwoman sees him flinch at every accusation and knows his own heart was breaking inside. Good, he deserves to hurt for a while. There is no question that things are over between them.

The third thing she does takes the most planning. If she were found or identified, then she wouldn't get far. She is dressed in a leather jacket, a blank black mask, and black pants with boots when she finds the Joker's hideout. Thompson's Toy Factory. She finds the Joker curled up asleep with Harley, the clown girl's body covered in bruises, and gags a little at how anyone could love that sick bastard. She runs a diamond-tipped claw across his throat until he starts to gurgle and choke on his blood, she leaps out the same window she entered through. Harley's screams echo through the night a few moments later. Selina Kyle was not a murderer. She hated killing even when her childhood sometimes required it for survival. Killing the Joker wasn't a murder, however. It was a long-overdue justice.

Nobody fucks with her Redbird.

She lounges on her couch afterward, drinking her wine and staring at the mantle. Thinking of all the ways her Redbird made her feel amazing and what she could've done to save him from such a horrible fate. She also comes to terms with the fact she loved him, romantically, despite the age difference. But all she has to show for it is a mountain of regrets and an empty wine glass. She stares above her mantelpiece most of the night.

The Rings of Cleopatra hang under her birthday card.

 **Reason Number Nine: Irreplaceability**

When she hears of a new Robin, she knows it's a joke. It has to be.

Batman wasn't dumb enough to put another teenage sidekick on the street.

She sees it for herself during a heist. She throws the back of priceless jewels down and bares her claws. She vents her frustrations once again. Noting that he didn't even wait a month to replace her favorite Bird or that the Joker had died a free man while his Robin rotted in the ground. Catwoman knows she is outmatched but both the Bat and the fake Robin are limping and covered in their own blood when she is brought to Gotham P.D. She escapes an hour after they put her in a cell.

How dare he?!

She still missed Jason.

She didn't blame the replacement. She wasn't heartless enough for that; he was just a kid who didn't know any better. She apologizes to the kid for the scars the next time they cross paths, but both of them can tell she doesn't really mean it. The Babybird is nothing compared to her favorite. He is slow and inflexible just like Jason, but he doesn't have the street-smarts or muscle power to make up for it like her Redbird. Apparently his only skill was hacking, and detective work. While not outright useless, he was no more effective on his own than the average detective. She couldn't even look at the new Kid most days, it reminded her too much of Jason. So she stuck to the out of town jobs to keep Batman off her tail.

Her heart still aches at the thought of her Redbird a few years later when she hears word of a crime lord going by the title, Red Hood. He's slowly sweeping into Black Mask's territory and a gang-war is unavoidable. She hears from Holly about all the good he's doing, though. None of his dealers go anywhere near schools or children and all women (prostitutes or otherwise)feel safer when they hear through the grapevine about how he castrated a would-be rapist with a rusty combat knife. No one fucks with the working girls on his turf anymore.

Catwoman decides she's curious and suits up to go introduce herself.

-Project: SONRISE Deactivating-

Not quite sure what I'm going to do about reason number ten. But I have a few ideas.


End file.
